The Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook: From Direwolf Ale to Auroch Stew - More Than 150 Recipes from Westeros and Beyond [Hardcover]

Alan Kistler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 18, 2012

An Epic Culinary Journey to the Heart of Westeros!

Eat like a Lannister. Brew spirits to warm you in the coming winter. Treat guests to exotic sweets and alchemy-inspired cocktails. With this collection of hearty meals inspired by George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, it's all possible! Every dish finds its roots in the pages that brought Westeros to life, including:

• Arbor Red Wine—the finest spirit in the Seven Kingdoms
• The House of Stark's Venison, Apple, Cheddar Plaits—savory meat pies, fit for any Warden of the North
• The Imp's Wild Strawberry Fool—a dessert light enough to make Tyrion smile
• Wilding Grilled Pork Chops with Stir-Grilled Apples—the meal of choice at Craster's Keep
• Tears of Lys—the concoction of choice for bartenders and assassins alike

Feast your imagination on entrees, desserts, snacks, and drinks that will make your fantasies a reality!

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Featured Recipe: Pentoshi Mushrooms in Butter and Garlic

"Even when he fears that he is being led into a trap and that the dish before him may be poisoned, Tyrion cannot help but acknowledge his desire for just a taste of it. The mushrooms before him glistening with butter and smelling of garlic make his mouth water, and it’s nob wonder. Poisoned or not, this savory dish would tempt just about anyone." (A Dance with Dragons, Chapter One)

Serves 4

• 4 large portobello mushrooms with stems
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 4 large white onions, finely chopped
• 10 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 5 cups vegetable stock or water
• 2 tablespoons grated imported Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
• Scented olive oil, such as truffle oil, garlic oil, or herb oil (or very good extra-virgin olive oil)

1. Finely chop the stems of the mushrooms. Set the caps aside. In a large saucepan, melt 5 tablespoons of the butter, and sauteÅL the onions and garlic over medium heat until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the chopped mushroom stems, and saute a minute longer. Season with salt.
2. Add the rice. Stir well to coat, then add 1 cup of stock and stir until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Add another cup of stock, stirring constantly, and allow the rice to absorb it. Continue adding stock cup by cup, until all liquid is used and rice is tender, but still a little firm to the bite in the middle (about 25 minutes). Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the cheese, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
3. Slice the portobello caps paper-thin. Divide risotto into 4 bowls, immediately sprinkle with the shaved portobellos, and garnish with scallions and a drizzle (about 2 teaspoons) of truffle oil (or other flavored oil).

A Word of Wisdom

Need to know your mushrooms? Creminis are just young portobellos; both are nutty, and gourmand favorites. Fluted oyster mushrooms have a more subtle flavor. Any young mushroom can be called a button, but chefs usually reserve the name for the white button variety. White mushrooms are simply button mushrooms with the caps fully opened.

Review

"This is a really interesting and ambitious book with remarkably strange, and quite imaginative, recipes."
&break;--T. Susan Chang, WRSI.com, Cookbooks for Dinner Blog & Boston Globe/NPR Food Writer

"Includes details on the origin of each recipe and is broken up into engaging, fan-centric chapters."
--HollywoodChicago.com

"This cookbook is one of the most detailed and well-researched niche books I've ever read. I appreciate that the author took such care to read through each book and make so many dishes come to life in an authentic way. The Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook is as authentic as it gets."
--Geekadelphia.com

"Readers can get practical instructions on more than 150 food and drink recipes over 256 pages in this recommended hardcover cookbook. The recipe descriptions do not spoil any plots in the book series. Kistler presents each recipe with consideration and thought beyond simply slapping a character or location on each one."
--Blogcritics.org

"Sex, violence, a few recipes for wild boar ? yup, it's time for Game of Thrones. Some of the dishes in the new Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook had me salivating. If you're looking for a little inspired ideas for your Game of Thrones bash ? or anytime, really ? check these recipes out."
--Vancouver Sun

"Delicious treats abound in Alan Kistler's The Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook, all inspired by food found in the epic fantasy series."
--Flavorwire.com

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Adams Media (April 18, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1440538727
• ISBN-13: 978-1440538728
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #18 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Humor > Cooking

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

101 of 123 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Skip this and buy the Official "Feast of Ice and Fire" April 3, 2012

By C. A. Coughlin

Format:Hardcover

Why you shouldn't buy this book:
From what I can tell, this book is a series of standard recipes taken from the publishers database of modern recipes - then some Westerosi names are slapped onto them. I mean... seriously... Direwolf Ale? They are likely some of the same recipes that appear in some of this publishers other unofficial cookbooks such as the one for the world of Harry Potter. It was then published unofficially and sent to stores a few months before the official cookbook just to sneak in some sales in before people know the true mistake of buying this book. I'm not really even sure how this book is legal to print, as to the best of my knowledge this book has even less permission than it does passion.

What you should buy instead:
The official cookbook: A Feast for Ice and Fire. The official book is full of researched medieval recipes and completely new recipes designed specifically based on the ingredients and flavors presented in the books. It is a book spawned from a blog that was started by two women who were truly passionate about the food presented in the Ice and Fire books. George R. R. Martin sanctioned their work and wrote a compelling introduction to the book (which I just got a chance to read this weekend) talking about the role of food in his novels and in his life. If the recipes in the book are anything like the blog - this book will take your tastebuds to Westeros!

In short - if you want to eat a bunch of recipes procured from a publisher's database that are designed to get on the market quickly and steal your money - If you'd rather drink Dire Wolf Ale than eat Sister's Stew, then buy the Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook.... But, if you want to taste the food of Westeros that has been passionately and diligently recreated by two chefs who love the books just as much as you - go buy the Feast of Ice and Fire. Read more ›

24 of 32 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting book - but wait for the official one! March 25, 2012

By D. C. Obraztsov TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am a diehard fan of the A Song of Ice and Fire Series, and buy pretty much anything released that is related to it. I was really excited about this cookbook. I haven't cooked too much lately, and thought this could give me some inspiration. Most of the dishes are named after a character or location. MANY of the recipes are medieval-esque, as you may expect, so you need an open mind. Some are really bizarre and I think more of a joke. An example is the Khaleesi's Heart (yuck!).

WARNING: there are some minor SPOILERS or at least some that *allude* to spoilers. An example is Late Lord Frey's Leek Soup. I would not read that recipe's description until you're done with the third book. Also, unless you have read all five books, some of the recipe names will be meaningless to you. An example is The Blind Girl's Piping Hot Fish and Pepper Breakfast.

WORST PART OF THIS BOOK - there are no pictures :( None. Not even one. Was very disappointed by that.

This is how the recipes are broken down:

Chapter 1 - Heroic Mornings: Breakfasts for Warriors
16 recipes.
Lots of biscuits, sausage, and bacon!

Chapter 2 - A Morsel in a Moment: Appetizers and Snacks
22 Recipes
Here there are some odd recipes that you may or may not want to experiment with. Some notables are Ghiscari Spiced Honeyed Locusts (yes, real locusts), Desperate Travelers' Acorn Paste, and Robert's Fried Golden Goose Eggs.

Chapter 3 - Something Off the Sideboard: Sides and Bread
20 Recipes
This is mostly vegetables and bread.

Chapter 4 - Fireside Fare: Soups, Stews, and Salads
28 Recipes
Hope you like salads!... Some notables are The Hand's Daughter's Pumpkin Soup, Wun Weg Wen Dar Wun's Giant Salad, and Cersei's Greens Dressed with Apples and Pine Nuts (yum!)

Chapter 5 - Feast for Friends & Enemies: Main Courses
38 Recipes
The core of the book, and there is plenty. Lots of fish and meat, with some odd types of meat at that. Some of the strange ones are Bran Stark's Pigeon Pie and Khaleesi's Heart. However, most of these look pretty darn delicious, with some notables being Dothraki Duck, Brynden Tully's Blackened Trout with Dornish Gremolata, Barristan the Bold's Wild Boar Ribs with Dragon Pepper, and Crab of the North.

Chapter 6 - Deceitful Delights: Desserts, Drinks, and "Poisonous" Cocktails
30 Recipes
Wow. Well, if you've read the books, you should know how much those Westerosi nobility love their alcohol, so this is to be expected. There are 12 dessert recipes, including Arya's Lemon Cakes (YES! but it should be Sansa's Lemon Cakes, those are her favorites), Samwell's Blueberry Ricotta Tart, and The Vale Summer Berries and Cream Tart. The remaining 18 are all alcohol recipes, including wine, beer, and cocktails. Some very interesting ones are Tears of Lys (I'm too scared to try!), Manticore Venom, The Strangler, Direwolf Ale, Cersei's Plum Wine, and Lannister Gold IPA.

There is also an appendix that explains the standard brewing process.

I would have LOVED some pictures, but this book is a decent reflection of dishes from the books, considering that it's unofficial and all. I also like how every recipe has a "Word of Wisdom" snippet on the page that you gives you a helpful little tip. Definitely a good book if you don't mind some interesting types of food!

However, I have already pre-ordered A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Game of Thrones Companion Cookbook, and since that is the OFFICIAL cookbook, I would recommend waiting for that. It was written with the assistance and approval of GRRM and will have more "authentic" asoiaf meals. Read more ›

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars A Game of Clones! July 9, 2012

By Grandma TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

There are just two things you need to know about The Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook: From Direwolf Ale to Auroch Stew - More Than 150 Recipes from Westeros and Beyond. The first, of course, is that it is UN-official, as in "not approved" by the original author of the Game of Thrones. As such, it is UN-collectible. This is not the kind of book one invests in hoping that it will someday be worth its weight in gold.

The second is that virtually every recipe, most of them pretty poorly chosen (when was the last time you found auroch at your grocery store?) in this clone of The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook: From Lamb Stew to "Groosling" - More than 150 Recipes Inspired by The Hunger Games Trilogy comes straight from the publisher's database of recipes. You'll find most of them in the "Everything" series of cookbooks. This time the publisher did see fit to at least list the Everything books the recipes were lifted from on a page at the back of the book, so Grandma awards an extra star.

Definitely not recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Cheap rip off May 23, 2013

By Stargazer

Format:Hardcover

This is a cheap rip-off that was rushed to market to take advantage of the excitement for the official "A Feast of Ice and Fire" cookbook. Most of the recipes have little to do with the descriptions in the book or historical accuracy, and were just copied and pasted directly from the "Everything" series of cookbooks.

Spend the extra $8 and buy the official cookbook that has the endorsement of George R. R. Martin, "A Feast of Ice and Fire" by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel and Sariann Lehrer.